Reddit reviews Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics

I would suggest you do some research before you post this kind of vague question here.

What you're asking is akin to, "How do I speak Latin?"

Carroll Smith is a very good start E: there are many books, I forget which one has suspension design, but all of them are worth getting.

Gellespie is a good addition

Milliken and Milliken is much more detailed, some call it 'the bible' but it's just a very good reference with a lot of equations for when you start doing more complex models that won't be explained by simpler books.


I'd reccommend getting at least smith and gillespie to start. If you need more complex modeling go for milliken, but 90% of FSAE teams don't need what's in milliken IMO. They struggle on the basics so much that it just is too much to absorb in a usable manner.

No one cares if you have a roll couple distribution model based on your tire data if you haven't done a proper camber or toe analysis, or if your vehicle isn't designed to have self-centering steering.

Here are the two best intro books on the subject:

https://www.amazon.com/Race-Car-Vehicle-Dynamics-Experiments/dp/0768011272

https://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Vehicle-Dynamics-Premiere-Books/dp/1560911999

Formula SAE in college is a great resource. Look for a co-op opportunity in vehicle design (it'll probably have to be in Michigan unless you're lucky or go into commercial truck). Experience is highly valued when you're trying to get that intro level job because co-ops and internships are so widely available in the industry.

Fundementals of Vehicle Dynamics

Very informative on the technical side, especially in suspension dynamics.

If you're interested in ride/handling or chassis design:

Race Car Vehicle Dynamics

The Science of Vehicle Dynamics

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics

Chassis Design: Principles and Analysis

http://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Vehicle-Dynamics-Premiere-Books/dp/1560911999/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425872946&sr=8-1&keywords=1560911999

http://www.amazon.com/Engineering-Fundamentals-Internal-Combustion-Engine/dp/0131405705/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425872963&sr=8-1&keywords=0131405705

These are the two books I could find that professors at Embry-Riddle, for the high performance vehicle design option of mechanical engineering, use. Im sure there are others, but i dont know where to find them as im not a mechanical engineering student. I'd say go to:
http://www.neebo.com/embry-riddle-aeronautical-university-daytona/textbooks

And search around for courses that relate to your interest and find the books they require

You mention being versed in CAD. Have you studied vehicle design for input on the suspension, driveline, other aspects? If any engineering schools local to you offer it, it's probably money well spent to take a Vehicle Dynamics class. At minimum, here is the book my alma mater uses for that class which is very well written and easy to understand: http://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Vehicle-Dynamics-Thomas-Gillespie/dp/1560911999

>And weight on that tire would just be taking away from your other tires.

Except that's a good thing...

For tires to generate lateral force, they need a normal load on them (i.e. weight) and they need to slip (hence slip angle).

So by that logic, you just want to pile on more weight and you get more lateral force. This is true, but the problem is that pneumatic tires have a sensitivity to that weight. This means that for more and more load you pile on them, the less lateral force you get back. It's why race cars want to always be as low as possible, you transfer less weight.

Essentially, because the weight got transferred off the tire, it lost more lateral force capability than the outside tire gained.

If you don't believe me, read either:

The Racing & High Performance Tire by Haney

or

Tune to Win by Carroll Smith

or

Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics by Gillespie

or

RCVD by Milliken and Milliken

or you can choose to ignore a random person on the internet that says he has several years of engineering experience for several racing series.